The invention relates in general to refractory linings of elongated vessels, and more particularly, to a new and useful method and apparatus for removing used refractory linings or slag deposits or both from elongated vessels, particularly pig-iron cars and mixers.
In the metallurgical technology, elongated vessels provided with a refractory lining are employed for various purposes. A used refractory lining, or the slag which might have deposited thereon, must be periodically removed and a new lining provided. This operation, in most instances, is manually performed with power-operated break-away tools. This conventional method is not totally satisfactory since it requires great physical effort and, primarily, is hazardous to health, because the work must be done in relatively narrow confinement and results in a production of large amounts of dust so that inhalation by the workers is unavoidable. Accordingly, such work by a single person must be restricted to a very short period of time, with frequent reliefs in service, resulting in high labor costs.
The prior art method is unsatisfactory not only in labor economy, but also in the economy of plant operation.
The laborious breaking away of the lining material, which frequently is a mixture of hard slag and brick fragments, takes much time during which the vessels, such as pig-iron cars, also known as torpedo cars, mixers, or blast furnace cowper stoves, for example, are out of service.
Many attempts have been made to improve this practice. For example, to mechanize the removal of slag and lining from pit furnaces West German patent 15 58 560 discloses special break-away machines. Special devices have also been designed for breaking away the lining of blast furnaces, for example, see West German patent 15 33 840. However, devices of this kind or similar ones cannot be used in very narrow, elongated vessels which have difficult accessibility, or their use causes inadequate expenses.